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Ten-man FC Bengaluru United (FCBU) showed grit and resilience to fight back and secure a 1-1 draw against Kodagu FC in their KSFA Super Division clash. After being reduced to ten men early in the first half and conceding from a set piece, FCBU staged a spirited second-half comeback, capped off by a stunning late free-kick from Ribhav in stoppage time.
The first half was a struggle for FCBU, who were dealt a major blow when Lijo received a red card in the 26th minute. The numerical disadvantage allowed Kodagu to press higher, and they took the lead in the 34th minute, heading home from a corner. FCBU found themselves on the back foot for much of the half, forced to defend deep while Kodagu looked to capitalise on their advantage. The second half saw a transformed FCBU, which refused to sit back despite being a man down. Altab almost created an equaliser right after the restart with a driving run into the box and a dangerous ball across goal, but the Kodagu defence cleared. Nikhil fired just over in the 57th minute, and Ribhav later spurned a golden chance from close range. In the dying minutes of regulation, Junain nearly turned in a loose ball that bounced awkwardly in front of the keeper, only to be denied. But in stoppage time (90+2'), FCBU's persistence was rewarded -- Ribhav stepped up and delivered a pinpoint free kick from the left wing, curling it into the top right corner for a sensational equaliser. It was an end-to-end contest, with both teams trading attacks and FCBU's backline, especially right-back Ragui, working tirelessly to hold off Kodagu's advances. In the end, a hard-fought draw felt like a victory for FCBU, who showed character, determination, and never stopped believing despite being a man down. (ANI)
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